Taking a taxi in Croatia – what you need to know

Taxis in Croatia are widespread, and you should have no problem finding one in the major cities. Prices are (at least in theory) on the meter, but it always makes sense to agree the price before stepping inside.

Prices are generally reasonably affordable in the big cities, but things can change in more remote areas. Taking a taxi from the ferry in Stari Grad to Hvar Town, for example, will set you back 300 kuna, or more (about 40 euro). The further from civilisation you go, the less likely there will be a meter. ANd so the more necessary it is to agree the fee in advance.

As elsewhere in the world, taxi drivers do not have the best reputation in Croatia. The arrival of Uber in the market did little to change that. The reaction to this new competition from the global ride-share app by taxi drivers, particularly in Zagreb, was vocal and at times violent.

The taxi protests included blocking the major cities during the peak summer season, including the road to Dubrovnik airport. If this was an attempt to get popular support, it failed spectacularly.

Several Croatian taxi companies now have their own apps, and you can order a taxi in Croatia this way.

Why you should be wary of taking a taxi from Zagreb Airport

My history of taking a taxi in Croatia is poor, and I for one, was thrilled when Uber entered the market.

Taxi ripoff stories can be found all over the world, but I wanted to pay special mention of the situation at Zagreb Airport.

Only licenced taxi drivers from the municipality of Velika Gorica can wait at the airport. As such, they have a monopoly on transfers into town. Unless that is, you are a little resourceful (learn more on the Total Croatia Zagreb Airport guide).

I have heard some real horror stories of people being charged more than 100 euro for the 20-minute drive into town. Always agree the price before you get in the taxi. And I would still use Uber every time. The cost of an Uber to the airport is fixed at just 90 kuna.

Uber and the Croatian market

The arrival of Uber on the Croatian market was not without incident.

There was a prolonged campaign of intimidation against Uber drivers, with one Uber driver’s car set alight with him inside the car. Zagreb’s taxi drivers made it very difficult for Uber drivers to operate.

And yet Uber expanded. Starting in Zagreb, Uber quickly expanded down to the coast. It is now present all along the Dalmatian coast, as well as Rijeka and Istria. The ease of downloading an app and using this service was something relatively new to Croatians.

UberBOAT

While Uber may be a global phenomenon, its arrival in Croatia brought something new to the world.

UberBOAT was launched with great fanfare on the Dalmatian coast in 2017. A seasonal service catering to the needs of tourists who wanted to get to their island destination fast took the transfer industry in a new direction.

The service works in a similar way to regular Uber rides. A special UberBOAT section was added to the existing app. There were two main concepts, which were point to point delivery and island hopping UberBOAT rental by the minute.

Both have proved quite popular, and UberBOAT returned for an expanded second season in 2018. It looks set to be a regular feature on the the Croatian tourism scene from here on in.

Check out the TCN UberBOAT ride experience in the video below, and learn more about the service on the UberBOAT website.

Zagreb taxi companies

Most taxi companies in Zagreb can only takee orders by phone or application. The exception to that is Radio Taxi, which has stands in all the key places in the city. They are also by the far the most expensive company as a result in my experience. Only use them if you are rally in a hurry, and even then for short distances.